Window-covering support assembly

ABSTRACT

A support assembly for holding a window covering, such as a curtain, insect screening, and the like, is composed of individual stationary frame sections which are secured to the window frame and a movable frame section which slides relative to the stationary frame sections. Hook means are slidably engaged in the frame sections and secure the window covering to the frame so that it may be moved between a fully opened and a fully closed position. The frame is arranged so that in the assembled position the hooks cannot be removed from the frame sections. the Geneva wheel. A pair of rotatable perforating knives positioned 180* apart is positioned adjacent the feed drum and rotate into contact with the paper around the drum at the appropriate positions thereof by being driven by the Geneva wheel to perforate the paper at long or short intervals as necessary.

United States Patent Inventors Alfred Klein Parc Notre-Dame; Vallauris, France Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 710,891, Mar. 6, 1968, now abandoned.

WINDOW-COVERING SUPPORT ASSEMBLY 1 Claim, 7 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 160/273, 101/227, 226/139 Int. Cl E06b 9/52, B4lf 13/04, B41147/46, B65h 25/00 Field of Search 160/84, 23,

Primary Examiner-Peter M. Caun 4tt0rneysMcGlew and Toren ABSTRACT: A support assembly for holding a window covering, such as a curtain, insect screening, and the like, is composed of individual stationary frame sections which are secured to the window frame and a movable frame section which slides relative to the stationary frame sections. Hook means are slidably engaged in the frame sections and secure the window covering to the frame so that it may be moved between a fully opened and a fully closed position. The frame is arranged so that in the assembled position the hooks cannot be removed from the frame sections. the Geneva wheel.

A pair of rotatable perforating knives' positioned 180 apart is positioned adjacent the feed drum and rotate into contact with the paper around the drum at the appropriate positions thereof by being driven by the Geneva wheel to perforate the paper at long or short intervals as necessary.

PATE NTED 0m 1 2 l9?! SHEET 1 OF 2 r/lIl/l/l/lll/Il/ all/$126274! FIG y/lllll/I/l/l/II/ll I m I w INVENTOR Alfred Klein y WQfiZwZ/m ATTORNEYS PATENTEDUBTIZIHYI 3.612.146

INVENTOR Alfred Klein ATTORNEYS WINDOW-COVERING SUPPORT ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This is a continuation-in-part application of application Ser. No. 710,891 filed on Mar. 6, I968 now abandoned.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a support assembly for a window covering and, more particularly, it is concerned with the arrangement of the support assembly which comprises frame members and hook means which are slidably positionable in the frame members and secure a window covering to the frame.

When it is desired to conceal or cover a window or a similar wall aperture by means of a window covering it should, when closed, be sufficiently sealed to a frame so that it prevents the passage of light, of dust, or of insects, depending on the specific use for which the window covering is intended. Such a window covering may be an ordinary curtain, a shade or blind, or insect screening. When a window covering is positioned within a window frame, it is conventional practice to provide a stationary frame within the window with the window covering slidingly carried by the frame.

All the arrangements which have been proposed for this purpose in the past are intricate, both with regard to their assembly and disassembly such as is required for cleaning curtains. They are generally brittle and comparatively expensive because of the complexity of certain of their parts. I

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention, to provide a support assembly for securing a window covering within a window opening in such a manner that the support assembly can be fitted to a window aperture of any size for completely covering or concealing the aperture or providing an insect screen across the aperture. The support assembly is readily removable and can be assembled or disassembled by any unskilled person.

Therefore, the present invention has the following characteristics in providing an openable and removable window covering for a window aperture:

I. A window covering of any nature and material cut to the size of the aperture to be covered and provided around its edges with a gathered braid or edge strip;

2. The braid or edge strip is fitted at spaced intervals with special hooks formed of plastic material for securing the four edges of the window covering to a frame;

3. The hooks are fitted into slides in angle bars of a special configuration which have previously been cut to the accurate size of the window aperture for forming the frame, the shape of the angle bars is such that the hooks can be easily inserted into the slides in the angle bars before they are mounted on the window frame, however, once mounted on the frame the hooks cannot be removed from the angle bars;

4. In forming the frame in the window aperture three of the angle bars extend along three sides of the aperture forming a stationary frame part and they are mounted in a removable manner; and

5. The fourth angle bar which completes the frame is not secured to the window aperture but is provided with means for sliding along two of the angle bars forming the stationary frame part so that the window covering secured to the angle bars can be positioned to cover the window completely or displaced into an opened position, moreover, the fourth angle bar incorporates suitable means for locking the window covering over the frame in its closed position.

The interest and easy operation of my invention resides in that it resorts only to known components, to wit, the window covering and the gathered braid or edge strip which in association with the novel hooks and the special metal or plastic angle bars provide the gist of the invention and which bars may be cut to the accurate dimensions of the aperture to be covered or concealed.

In spite of their identical structure and assembly, the four sides of the frame do not play the same part and do not operate in the same manner as is the case in fact for all sliding curtains. As mentioned above, three of the angle bars are secured in a stationary position while the fourth angle bar is movable and may be displaced within the window aperture through the frame part defined by the other three angle bars. As a matter of fact, the first angle bar which is stationary is secured to the outline of the aperture to be concealed while the hooks on the corresponding edge of the window covering remain stationary in the position allotted to them. The two sides of the frame adjacent to the first angle bar are also stationary, however, the hooks securing the window covering to these angle bars are adapted to slide freely within the slides in the angle bars so that the window covering can be moved between an opened and a closed position.

Furthermore, the fourth angle bar may be provided with means for locking it in various positions between the fully opened and fully closed positions in the aperture to be covered.

Moreover, to provide simplicity in the assembly and disassembly of the window covering support, each of the four sides of the window covering support are formed of identical angle bars, but it would be an easy matter within the scope of the invention as defined to secure the window covering in a permanent manner to the outline of the window aperture while employing a shiftable rod for the fourth side of the curtain for moving it between the opened and closed positions.

Therefore, the invention covers the method and means for assembling a sliding window covering through the application of special hooks fitted in a gathered braid or edge strip disposed along the sides of the window covering which hooks are secured within angle bars defining the outline of the aperture. The special hooks may be readily inserted and removed from the angle bars in the disassembled position, however, when the support assembly is completed secured to the window aperture the hooks cannot be removed. The arrangement of the angle bars and the hooks permit the window covering to be moved within the frame regardless of the stresses exerted on the hooks in any direction.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates, in a perspective view, an assembled and disassembled arrangement of an angle bar and cooperating hook;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the hook shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are cross sections of additional embodiments of the angle bar shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the support assembly embodying the present invention positioned within a window aperture with a window covering being vertically movable on the support assembly; I

FIG. 5a is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, of an end fitting for the sliding angle bar taken along line 5a-5a in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 6 is a partial view of the window covering in FIG. 5 illustrating the manner in which the hooks are secured within the edge strip of the window covering.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention is directed to a support assembly for mounting a window covering, such as a curtain or an insect screen, within a window aperture so that it can be easily opened and closed and in addition the frame portion of the assembly can be easily assembled in and removed from the window aperture. Additionally, the invention resides in the ready insertion and removal of the slide members which permit the window covering to be displaced between the opened and closed positions in the frame.

As shown in FIG. 1, an elongated substantially U-shaped hook I has legs la, lb of different lengths interconnected at the bight of the U-shaped member by a transverse web 4. The hook I can be easily inserted into an angle bar 2 through its free end 3. One limb of the angle bar is, in fact, a U-shaped member 2a while the other leg of the angle bar is provided by a transverse flange 15 which extends laterally across and spaced from the U-shaped member. The laterally extending edge of the U-shaped member is spaced from the juxtaposed surface of the transverse flange IS a sufficient distance to permit the bight section 4 of the hook to fit therebetween in a sliding manner. The inner side of the U-shaped hook I which is slightly shorter than the outer side lb is slidable within the U-shaped member 2a of the angle bar 2, while the outer side 2b of the hook is preferably, but not exclusively, slightly longer than the shorter side of the U-shaped member of the angle bar and slides along its outer surface. The web 4 which forms the bight of the U-shaped hook has a dimension less than the spacing between the edge 5 and the juxtaposed surface of the transverse flange 15. This, in addition to the fact that the leg la of the hook is shorter than the depth of the U- shaped member of the angle bar from its edge 5 to the interior surface 9 of its bight portion, permits the hook to be easily slid through the angle bar. In fact, the inner surface of the web or bight portion 4! of the hook slides over the edge 5 or its outer surface 6 slides along the cooperating surface 7 of the angle bar; in contradistinction, whatever stresses may be exerted in any direction on the hook, it can not be removed from the angle bar except from its longitudinal ends which are opened only in the disassembled arrangement of the support assembly.

Obviously, this requires a predetermined relationship between the size of the different parts of the cooperating hook and angle bar, to wit: the thickness of the material forming the angle bar and the hook, the size of the gap between the sides of the hook and between those of the angle bar, the length of the inner side of the hook between its bight 4 and its lower end 8, the depth of the U-shaped section 2a of the angle bar between the surfaces 7 and 9, the thickness of the web of the hook through its bight portion 4 and the total breadth of the hook between the points 10 and 11. The free passage provided by the angle bar between its sides allows the hook to slide readily without ever permitting its removal through a pivotal or twisting movement. In fact, in all cases, the transverse flange l5 prevents such a movement.

It should be noted that different shapes of the angle bar are possible, such as shown at 12 in FIG. 3 in which an additional flange I6 is provided projecting from the leg 12 of the U- shaped member of the angle bar, and at 13 in FIG. 4 providing still a different flange construction with a flange 14 extending laterally and in line with the transverse flange 15. These different flange arrangements permit the securement of the angle bars along the edges of the window aperture to be covered or concealed.

In order to cut out any risk of friction and wear of the window covering along the angle bar 2, it should be noted that the shape of the hook I is provided with a T-shaped head 17 at its lower end, note FIG. 2, with the outer ends of the T-shaped head bent inwardly to contact the surface of the angle bar 2 which constrains the hook, whatever may be the direction in which a stress is exerted on it, to slide over the edge 5 whereby the window covering is held in a position in which it is protected. The slight remaining friction allows the window covering to retain any intermediate position in which it is set.

When the window covering support arrangement is assembled within a window aperture, it holds the window covering to the angle bars in such a manner that a lighttight or seal construction is provided depending on the use to which the window covering is put. While three of the angle bars are secured in a stationary position a fourth angle bar is movably positionable relative to the others and may be moved in either the vertical or horizontal directions for opening and closing the window covering.

FIG. 5 illustrates, by way of example, a window aperture in which a window covering, such as the mosquito net or screen disclosed in FIG. 6, can be positioned for movement in the vertical direction between the fully opened or fully closed positions. In FIG. 5, an upper angle bar C disposed along the top surface of the window aperture is secured in position by means of securing screws V. The upper angle bar C extends for the full width of the window opening so that its opposite ends abut against the surface of the window aperture which prevents any displacement of the hooks from the ends of the angle bar. Depending downwardly from the lower edge of the upper angle bar C along each side of the window aperture is a side angle bar C1 which are also secured in place by means of the screws V. At their upper ends the angle bars abut against the upper angle bar C so that the hooks cannot be displaced from the slide through the angle bars at that end. At their lower ends, the angle bars Cl abut against the lower edge or surface of the window aperture which, in turn, provides a stop against the displacement of the hooks from the lower ends of the angle bars. The construction of the window aperture is not important, it may be masonry or the like, since the angle bars can be easily secured by known means to any of these materials. In assembling the angle bars within the window aperture, the bars, which are formed of plastic or metal can be easily cut to the desired size of the opening to be framed by the window covering and holes can be formed through the transverse flanges of the bars for attachment to the window aperture by means of the securing screws V. In this manner the three stationary sections of the frame can be positioned in the window aperture. As an alternative, in place of holes, slots may be formed in the transverse flanges so that each angle bar can be removed without removing the screws but by merely loosening the screws so that the angle bars can be slid out from under the heads of the screws out of the window aperture.

In FIGS. 5 and 6, the window covering is a mosquito net or screening formed of a plastic material such as white Texiglass (a special fabric of fiberglass yarn) which is particularly advantageous for this purpose. Since the window covering is intended to prevent the passage of insects through an opened window, it is important that the screenlike window covering be securely fitted to the frame within the window aperture or the insects would be able to pass around the edges of the frame and through the window aperture. As shown most clearly in FIG. 6, an edge strip 22 is secured along the edges of the window covering 20 and openings 24 are provided through the edge strip 22 so that the hooks I can be secured to the strip in a stationary fashion. Due to the flexible character of the screenlike window covering 20, based on the spacing of the hooks along the opposite side angle bars C1 of the window aperture as the window covering is opened it will affect a folded arrangement as it is moved to the fully opened position as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 5. The spacing of the hooks along the upper angle bar C and the lower movable angle bar C2 is the same, such spacing being determined by the necessity of closely adhering the screen to the angle bars to assure that insects cannot pass about the edge of the window covering. Similarly, the number and spacing of the hooks along each of the side angle bars Cl is the same to effect the proper folding arrangement as the window covering is moved between the opened and closed positions.

In FIG. 5, slide fittings 26 are positioned in each end of the lower angle bar C2 and these slide fittings engage the exterior sides of the U-shaped section of the angle bars so that the lower angle bar can be caused to slide upwardly and downwardly along the side angle bars C1. The slide fittings 26 extend into the opening formed by the U-shaped section and assure that the hooks cannot be displaced through the ends of the angle bar. Various means well known in the art can be employed for securing the lower angle bar in position in its fully closed position or in any intermediate position. One such means would be the friction provided between the slide fittings and the surfaces of the side angle bars C1 or, altematively, spring catch means or other latching means may be employed for securing the lower angle bar C2 so that it is movably positionable within the window aperture.

in FIG. 5, cords F are shown in a general diagrammatic manner indicating one way in which the screen can be lifted and lowered within the window aperture. It will be appreciated that a variety of such means are available for moving the window covering to the desired position.

While the window covering in FIG. 5 is shown as being openable in the vertical direction, it will be appreciated that the slidable angle bar could be oriented vertically and opened in the horizontal direction depending on the conditions encountered in the individual window aperture.

What is claimed is:

l. A support assembly for a covering employable in connection with a window and like wall opening; comprising the combination of stationary frame sections, including a top frame section and two side frame sections received in the wall opening, a movable frame section positioned opposite the top frame section, and hook means, said hook means engaging said covering and being movable together with said movable frame section relative to said stationary frame sections, each frame section being U-shaped in cross section with one of its legs provided with a flange extending perpendicularly to the one leg and to the other leg of the respective stationary frame section and spacingly overlying said other leg at a predetermined relatively narrow distance thereabove, each of said hook means being substantially U-shaped in cross section and terminating in one leg greater in length than the other leg, each of said U-shaped hook means having a bright portion positioned astride said other leg of the respective stationary frame sections with the shorter leg of each hook means extending below said flange into the interior of the respective stationary frame sections, said flange extending also perpendicularly to the legs of said U-shaped hook means and retaining each hook means in astride position on the other leg of the respective stationary frame sections, the longer leg of the respective hook means being located on the outer surface of said other leg of said stationary frame sections and being provided with a transversely extending headpiece, the outer ends of each headpiece being inturned toward and contacting the outer surface of said other leg of the respective stationary frame sections, and an edge strip affixed to and running along the outer boundary of said covering, said edge strip being provided with pairs of spaced-apart substantially parallel slits, each pair of slits threadingly receiving a respective hook means, the other leg of each of said hook means carrying the transversely directed headpiece with its inturned ends being engaged by and retained by a respective pair of slits of said pairs of slits on said edge strip, said head piece ends of said hook means sliding along said other leg of the respective stationary U-shaped frame sections, when said movable frame section together with said covering and the hook means attached to the latter is moved along relative to said stationary frame sections. 

1. A support assembly for a covering employable in connection with a window and like wall opening; comprising the combination of stationary frame sections, including a top frame section and two side frame sections received in the wall opening, a movable frame section positioned opposite the top frame section, and hook means, said hook means engaging said covering and being movable together with said movable frame section relative to said stationary frame sections, each frame section being U-shaped in cross section with one of its legs provided with a flange extending perpendicularly to the one leg and to the other leg of the respective stationary frame section and spacingly overlying said other leg at a predetermined relatively narrow distance thereabove, each of said hook means being substantially U-shaped in cross section and terminating in one leg greater in length than the other leg, each of said U-shaped hook means having a bright portion positioned astride said other leg of the respective stationary frame sections with the shorter leg of each hook means extending below said flange into the interior of the respective stationary frame sections, said flange extending also perpendicularly to the legs of said U-shaped hook means and retaining each hook means in astride position on the other leg of the respective stationary frame sections, the longer leg of the respective hook means being located on the outer surface of said other leg of said stationary frame sections and being provided with a transversely extending headpiece, the outer ends of each headpiece being inturned toward and contacting the outer surface of said other leg of the respective stationary frame sections, and an edge strip affixed to and running along the outer boundary of said covering, said edge strip being provided with pairs of spaced-apart substantially parallel slits, each pair of slits threadingly receiving a respective hook means, the other leg of each of said hook means carrying the transversely directed headpiece with its inturned ends being engaged by and retained by a respective pair of slits of said pairs of slits on said edge strip, said head piece ends of said hook means sliding along said other leg of the respective stationary U-shaped frame sections, when said movable frame section together with said covering and the hook means attached to the latter is moved along relative to said stationary frame sections. 